Union leaders claim up to 12,000 workers will not get a pay rise this year despite its £665million profit last year.

The demonstration came just 24 hours after Sainsbury’s boss Justin King revealed the grocer’s 11-year partnership with TV chef Jamie Oliver was coming to an end. Workers wearing King masks carried placards that mirrored the store’s slogan, “Justin – try something new today, pay us a living wage.”

Jennie Formby, of Unite, said the protest reflected the anger at being forced to suffer living standard cuts when the firm makes so much money.

A Sainsbury’s spokesman said only a “small proportion” of its 165,000 staff who were paid “above the market rate” were having their pay frozen.